Moistener



April 28, 1931.

H. HELLWEG MOISTENER Filed Nov. 17l 1926 R Y E EN O wn n e .HH A UJ/ Y ne H Patented Apr. 28, 1931 ,f Larra!) STATES PATENT clerics BIEN-RYHELLWEG, OF MILVJAUKEE'VWISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HELZEN CORPORATION, OFMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OIE"WIS(`JN SI1\`I'r MOIS-TENERApplication filed November 17, 1,9218.V Serial No. 148,780.

This invention relates to an improved moistener especially designed foruse in moistening yarn or silk thread as it is being fed in a knittingmachine to beknit into a fabric.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is toprovide amoistener which is of simple and durable construction, which iscomparatively inexpensive to manufacture, which may be easily installedin the conventional knitting machines, and which involves no movingparts liable to be gummed up with lint or otherwise.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a'moistenerwhich properly and effectively applies the liquid, preferably a lightspecially prepared oil, to the yarn or silk thread without wearing thethread and without wearing or otherwise impairing the means employed toeffect the application of the oil to the thread. v

Another object is to provide means for regulating and controlling thesupply ofoil to the oil applicating means whereby a proper and uniformamount of oil is applied to the thread at all times.

Other objects and advantages reside incertain novel features of theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts which will ybelhereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the:appended claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in `side elevation showing a moistener.for thread embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view. of the moistener with the jar or container forthe liquid removed from the reservoir;

Y Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on lines 3 3- of Fig. 2 andshowing a-sectionvof the jar or container in position on the adjustableplatform;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the body of the liquidapplicating means; p

Fig. 5 is a detailview in elevationof the wick embodied in the liquidapplicating .means and f Fig, Gis a detail perspective view of thethrottle Y plate employed :for v.regulating the VThe platform 6 isspaced a short distance from the bottom 2 of thereservoir and may. beraised or lowered by the screw 4. A- packing gland 7 is provided for thebearing 3 and screw t to preventleakage of liquid therethrough. A stoppin 5a coacts with the knob 5 to limit the upward movement of the platyform 6. On the platform 6 the .container for the liquid is mounted. Theliquid in the present instance is alight, specially prepared oil. prisesa ar 8 which is inverted and has its cap 9 resting on the platform 6.The connection between the cap 9 and the neck of the jar is sealed by agasket lO. In the cap a discharge opening 111is provided. Thisarrangement provides means forl maintaining a constant level of theliquid in the reservoir 1. turning the screw 4 and raising and loweringthe platform 6, the ar 8 is raised and lowered and the level of theliquid in the reservoir 1 may be raised and lowered.

As shown to advantage in Fig. 3 the reser-y voir 1 has an outlet 12 inits body portionand this outlet leads Ato the liquid Vapplicating meanswhich comprises a body 13, preferably in the form of a kblock of-metal.Thebody 13 is supported on a bracket 14 secured by a screw 15 to thereservoir 1. The body 13 being in the form of a block of metal is hardand rigid and substantially non-wearing. Across its top face the block13 is provided withl a groove 16 through which the thread T is guidedand freely passes. This groove 16 is intersected by a wick receivingopening l l'ex'tending vertically downwardly through the block-13 fromthe upper face of the block to a p oint midway the top and bottom of theblock. The lower endjof this wick receiving 1er-@aine '1 7 .communicateswith letali@ Preferably, the container :com-

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opening 18 which leads out through the inner face of the block 13 and issubstantially alined with the outlet 12 of the reservoir 1. Between theblock 13 and the reservoir 1 a throttle plate 19 is interposed, thethrottle plate 19 having a minute or restricted port 2O which affordscommunication between the intake opening 18 and the outlet 12 of thereservoir but which soY retards the flow of liquid as toV permit onlythe proper quantity to pass from v the reservoir to the wick to be laterdescribed.

These throttle plates 19 are provided in sets or Y series and the platesof the sets or series have openings of different size so that bychanging the throttle plates 19 the flow may be decreased or increasedas desired. To provide for the desired seal between the reservoir andthe throttle plate and the throttle plate and the block 13, the plate 19may be shellacke'd or otherwise packed or sealed so that when the block13 is forced up against the plate 19V A Wick25 is fitted in the wickreceiving opening 17Y and entends down to the bottom of thisopening 17and up to the top thereof. The upper portionof the wick 25 is formedwith a slot 26 which is alined with the groove 16 of the body 13andrisdesigned to permit of the free passage of the thread T therethrough. Theslot 26 of the wick is of' such size with respect to the thread T thatthe film F of oil or liquid that is maintained on the walls of the slot26 of the wick always engages and contacts with the thread T. Thus, asthe thread passes through the slot 26 it is wiped by this film of oiland in this manneithe oil is properly applied and distributed on thethread.

The thread T is passed through guides 30 and 31 carried on arms 32 and33'provided on the reservoir so as to be constrained to pass through thegroove 16 of the body of the liquid applicating means. Preferably,aten-` sioning device 35 is provided for the thread between the guide 30and the body 13 of the liquid applicating means, the tensioning devicecomprising loose disks 37 freely rotatable o-n a fixed tension shaft 38and urged toward each other by a compression spring 39, the tension ofwhich is varied by an adjustable abutment 40 in the form of'anutthreaded on a reduced extension of the shaft 38. A guard 41 in theform of a wire extends around the tensioning device between the guide 30and the bracket 14.

The moistener is supported on a standard 50 carried by a stationary partof the machine on the frame thereof by means of a clamp 51 carried bythe reservoir 1 and coacting with the standard 50.

Vith this moistener the thread does not wear away the wick and is notitself worn by severe wiping contact with a liquid applicatingelement.On the contrary, the thread is thoroughly and effectively moistened bythe film of oil which is maintained on the walls of the slot of the wickand the thread is constrained to pass properly through the slot of thewick by the action of the guard slot in the hard and rigid body 13 ofthe liquid applicating means. The wick 17 is maintained properlysaturated with the oil or liquid by virtue of the feature of having aproperly controlled flow of the oil or liquid to the wick at all times.This controlled flow is regulated or governed by the size of the port inthe throttle plate and by the level ofthe liquid in the reservoir. Aspointed out, a throttle plate having the desirable size of port thereinis used and the level in the reservoir may be varied by turning thescrew 4. Usually a variation in the level of the liquid in the reservoiris sufficient to properly control the flow, but where this does notserve, then a different throttle plate must be used.

The invention claimed is:

1. A moistener for thread comprising a reservoir having an outlet,liquid applicating means associated with the outlet of the reservoir,and means for regulating the flow of liquid from the reservoir to theapplicating means and including a throttle element having a minute porttherein through which the liquid is constrained to flow, said port beinguiiiciently minute to provide for proper ow. f

2. A moistener for thread comprising a reservoir having an outlet,liquid applicating means including al body having an intake openingadjacent andalined with the outlet, and a throttle plate interposed4between the outlet and the intake opening and having a small porttherein permitting proper and uniform flow from the outlet to the intakeopening, said' body having a vent for the intake opening.

3. A moistener for thread comprising a reservoir having an outlet,liquid applicating means comprising a hard and rigid bodyr provided witha thread receiving groove across one face and having a wick receivingopening intersecting the groove and an intake opening communicating withthe wick receiving opening, a throttle plate interposed between the bodyand the reservoir, means for clamping the body against the throttleplate and the throttle plate against the reservoir, said throttle platehaving a restricted port provided for the uniform iiow of the properamount of liquid to the intake opening from the reservoir, and a Wick insaid Wick receiving opening having a slot through which the thread ispassed, the slot of the Wick being alined With the groove of the body.

4. A moistener for thread comprising a a restricted port provided forthe uniform flow of the proper amount of liquid to the intake openingfrom the reservoir, and a Wick in said Wick receiving opening having aslot through which the thread is passed, the slot of the Wick beingalined with the groove of the body, and means for maintaining a constantlevel of liquid in the reservoir.

5. A moistener for thread including liquid applicating means, consistingof a Wick adapted to present a film of liquid to the thread formoistening the same and a body substantially enclosing the Wick andsupporting the same in a Xed position and having means for constrainingthe thread to contact only With the film of liquid.

6. A moistener for thread including liquid applicating means comprisinga Wick having a slot through Which the thread passes, and meanssupplying liquid to the Wick to maintain films of liquid on the Walls ofthe slot, the slot being of such size in relation to the thread thatonly the films of liquid on the Walls of the slot contact with thethread to moisten the same.

7 A nioistener for threads including liquid applicating means comprisinga body provided with a thread receiving groove across one face and alsohaving a Wick receiving opening intersecting said groove, a

. 9. A moistener for thread comprising a reservoir having an outlet,liquid applicating means associated With the outlet of the reservoir,and means for regulating the flow of liquid from the reservoir to theapplicating means and including a throttle element having a minute porttherein through which the liquid is constrained to flow, said port beingsuiiiciently minute to provide for proper iovv,and means for raising andlowering the level of the liquid in the reservoir and constantlymaintaining it at the selected level.

In Witness whereof, I hereto ailiX my signature.

HENRY HELLWEG.

Wick fixedly supported in said opening and Y having a slot registeringwith the groove of said body and through Which the thread passes andmeans for supplying liquid to the Wick to maintain films of liquid onthe Walls of the slot, the slot being of such size in relation to thethread that only the films of liquid Contact with the thread to meistenthe same.

8. A moistener for threads including a wick having a slot through Whichthe thread passes, means for constraining the thread to move properlythrough the slot Without having Wearing contact With the Wick, and meansfor supplying the Wick with liquid.

